It's been said you never get a second chance to make a first impression. In fact, your front door is telling people things behind your back! How come? What does it say? Since your front door is one of the first things guests and neighbours see, making your front entrance magnificent can go a long way in enhancing your home's attractiveness and your pride of home ownership. It is one way you can use to maximize both the curb appeal and the enjoyment of your home.

You might be surprised to learn that the most prominent feature of a house, the front door, is the first thing visitors and passers-by notice. Not only does the front door set the tone for the overall appearance of your house, it also makes a personal statement. The entry is simply the perfect place to announce to guests who you are. It should say 'This is me, this is who I am, and come on in!'" The front door is the gateway to your home. It should reflect your personal style and arouse one’s curiosity as to what lies beyond its threshold. A decorative door says people are welcome and their visit is an important event. The single most important thing when somebody pulls up to a house is how the front door presents itself. There's a “yes, I like it” or “no, I don't like it” reaction that people have. It's visual appeal, but it's also the warmth of the home. It's a hospitality signal.

One national study shows the degree to which a grand entrance adds to the perceived value of the home. There is a proven relationship between a home's perceived value and the appearance of its front door. Homeowners were shown a home with a six panel door, clear sidelights, and a clear transom. They were then shown the same entrance with decorative doorglass and coordinating decorative sidelights. By changing a home's front entry door it was found to yield up to a 10 percent increase in the home's value, much more than the actual cost of the door system with decorative glass. With a coordinating decorative transom, the increase in perceived value is even higher. That means the way you choose to decorate your home from the outside speaks to what lies beyond the front door.

Even if a grand entrance is not in your plans, the use of decorative doorglass can still enhance the curb appeal of your home and makes a great first impression. In a national study of over 2000 homeowners, 67% selected a front entry door with decorative glass as their first choice over doors with either no glass or clear glass.

There are many types of doors and a wide variety of shapes, colours, and designs to choose from. However, if you want a conversation starter right at the front door, choose a carved and art-glass door! With its unique style and character, and impressive scale and aesthetic appeal, this front door will be the first thing that people see whenever they visit and the last thing they will remember. This type of door has been favoured by many simply because it makes a very definitive personal statement and its unique design allows for imagination and creativity.

A nice, decorative door with two sidelights generally costs $2,500 to $4,500 installed. However, you will need approximately 7 feet (in width) for space. Many older homes simply don't have the space. In such cases, we suggest dressing up the entry way with door surrounds, such as a header above the door that acts as a mantel plus pilasters along the sides, or building a front entry addition to blend in the style and scale with the entire house.

For those on tight budgets a fresh coat of paint in an eye-catching colour for the front door, and a couple of add-on features, like a lockset, mail slot, doorbell button and a matching light fixture with inexpensive door trim, may do the trick.

People now have recognized the importance of curb appeal and are willing to pay an extra price to make a statement. People make decisions at that first look. The front of a house is what grabs them and brings them in. This equation is very simple, if they don't like it, they're just going to drive on by. Remember, your front door is the exclamation point of your home, the division between private and public space, the greeting you offer the world, ...and yourself!